Whitsundays to Rainbow Beach

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It’s my turn now to write an entry since Mike says that I have to write the ones about boats. Honestly, I don’t know anything about sailboats. Mike says this one was relatively small, about 40 feet long and had a crew of 3. I had never gone sailing before so here are the things I’ve learned: 1. Do not drink excessively on a sailboat. You and all your mates will be seasick. 2. Sailboats tilt. 3. Getting scratched by coral really stings.

We went sailing for 2 nights around the Whitsundays on a sailboat called Prima. There were 11 onboard. We weren’t blessed with the best weather, nor the best snorkeling conditions, but we still had a good time. The people we sailed with were really great and laidback backpackers around the same age. We had been camping for a few weeks, so it was nice to hang out with a group of people and sleep on some mattresses. Among the highlights of the trip was White Haven Beach… probably the whitest sand I’ve ever seen.

From Airlie Beach we headed down south to ensure we’d have enough time to do Fraser Island. We were recommended a camping spot between Mackay and Rockhampton called Carmilla Beach. This was by far the best camping spot we stayed at. Our site was right along the beach and tucked in a little forest where we could hear wallabies hopping around all night. The beach had 6m tides, so in the evening it was a mudflat. Mudflats don’t sound as glamorous as a white sand beach, but they are beautiful in their own right. We spent an hour exploring and watching the sunset behind the campsite.

Next day we went to the Town of Seventeen Seventy. Apparently this town was the last of it’s kind on the east coast… it’s just starting to become very touristy. There are only 2 hostels in town, everything closes early, etc. We took surfing lessons. It cost 16.50 each for 3 hours. Amazing price compared to taking lessons somewhere like Byron Bay where it would cost about 60. Mike and I both got up a few times. Best thing about the surfing were hundreds of butterflies migrating right over our heads as we surfed.

After 2 nights in 1770, we headed for Rainbow Beach, via Hervey Bay. We made the detour to Hervey Bay because we had heard good things from people that had traveled the coast at least a decade ago. No doubt, the bay was nice, however it was just another touristy town along the Australian east coast. In retrospect, it was nice to get a glimpse of 1770 to see how these towns were.

We made it to RB in time to meet up with the group that we would have for 3 days and 2 nights on Fraser Island. A couple of German girls we had met in 1770 were placed in our group, along with 4 other girls. At first we were all shocked. There were 7 groups of about 11 created. Some groups had 8 guys, 3 girls, etc. Needless to say, we were all sort of surprised it was 9 girls, 1 guy. Mike’s first comment to me “You girls better push” when we got the 4 x 4 stuck. Mike was getting the thumbs up from guys all over. Though a little shocking at first to go on a camping trip with that many girls, we actually had the best group and got the most on our itinerary accomplished.

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Photos

Our Whitsunday Group
Sue, Rob, Kathryn, Richie, Liza, Gustof